logo
Operation Sindoor: How Rafale Fighter Fleet Struck 200km Deep Without Entering Pakistan Airspace

Operation Sindoor: How Rafale Fighter Fleet Struck 200km Deep Without Entering Pakistan Airspace

News1807-05-2025
Last Updated:
Defence analysts believe the backbone of Operation Sindoor was the Rafale fighter fleet, armed with Beyond Visual Range missiles, particularly the homegrown Gandiva
India on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, a meticulously executed cross-border precision strike that penetrated nearly 200 kilometres inside Pakistani territory, targeting multiple terror launchpads without breaching Pakistani airspace.
The strike, confirmed by top defence sources on condition of anonymity, is India's direct retaliation for the brutal killing of 26 tourists in the deadly Pahalgam attack last month which was traced to cross-border terror groups with long-standing bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
What makes Operation Sindoor extraordinary is the operational depth: Indian forces struck as far as Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province, long believed to be the nerve centre of terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Bahawalpur lies approximately 200 kilometres from the border, a distance once considered inviolable without triggering international escalation.
Yet, India seems to have executed this strike entirely from its own territory, thanks to cutting-edge advancements in missile and aviation technology. Defence analysts believe the backbone of the operation was the Rafale fighter fleet, armed with Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, particularly the French-made MBDA Scalp cruise missiles and the homegrown Gandiva.
The MBDA Scalp has a strike range of approximately 200 kilometres, enabling India to launch attacks from within its airspace with surgical precision. Even more formidable is Gandiva, the latest entrant in the BVR class. Developed indigenously, this missile boasts a range of 340 kilometres and is capable of hitting targets from an altitude of 20 kilometres, making it the longest-range BVR missile in the world, surpassing China's PL-15 (300 km) and the US' AIM-174 (240 km).
Nine terror hideouts, primarily in PoK and Bahawalpur, were targeted and destroyed in the strike, according to intelligence sources.
This strike signals a paradigm shift in India's counter-terror doctrine. Gone are the days of visible cross-border incursions or boots on the ground. Instead, modern warfare – driven by stealth jets, AI-assisted targeting, and long-range missiles – is reshaping how nations assert their security red lines.
'Operation Sindoor is not just retaliation; it is a declaration of a new strategic era," a senior defence analyst said, adding that the operation told the adversaries that distance was no longer a shield, and sanctuary was no longer safe.
First Published:
May 07, 2025, 10:32 IST
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rubio praises Pak's ‘partnership in countering terrorism' after meeting Ishaq Dar
Rubio praises Pak's ‘partnership in countering terrorism' after meeting Ishaq Dar

India Today

timea minute ago

  • India Today

Rubio praises Pak's ‘partnership in countering terrorism' after meeting Ishaq Dar

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, in Washington on Friday. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks on strengthening bilateral ties, trade cooperation, and regional to X, Rubio said he thanked Dar for 'Pakistan's partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional stability.' The leaders also discussed ways to expand bilateral trade and deepen collaboration in the critical minerals and mining with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50 today to discuss expanding bilateral trade and enhancing collaboration in the critical minerals sector. I also thanked him for Pakistan's partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 25, 2025advertisementAccording to US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Secretary Rubio expressed appreciation for 'Pakistan's continued willingness to play a constructive role in mediating conversations with Iran and its commitment to preserving regional stability.' The two sides also discussed plans for the upcoming US-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue set to be held in Islamabad this August. The talks included enhancing cooperation against terror groups such as ISIS-K, as both nations seek to broaden counterterrorism efforts in the Rubio stressed the importance of 'expanding mutually beneficial bilateral trade' and exploring future opportunities for joint work in the minerals sector, an area gaining strategic significance amid growing global demand for critical to Arab News, Ishaq Dar is on an eight-day visit to the US, during which he chaired multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meetings as part of Pakistan's rotating presidency this meeting comes just days after Rubio announced that the United States would designate The Resistance Front (TRF), a front for the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).TRF had claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.- EndsTune InMust Watch

After logjam in first week, Parliament to discuss Pahalgam, Sindoor from Monday
After logjam in first week, Parliament to discuss Pahalgam, Sindoor from Monday

Indian Express

timea minute ago

  • Indian Express

After logjam in first week, Parliament to discuss Pahalgam, Sindoor from Monday

AFTER a week of disruptions and adjournments, Parliament is all set to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor next week as the Opposition has agreed to the agenda for special discussions. The breakthrough came in a meeting of Speaker Om Birla with senior leaders of various parties, where it was decided that the LS would discuss the April 22 terror attack and Operation Sindoor, beginning Monday for 16 hours, and the RS would discuss the same beginning Tuesday, again for 16 hours, said Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Criticising the Opposition for 'disrupting' Parliament proceedings through the week, Rijiju told reporters, 'All issues cannot be discussed together… The Opposition has raised several issues, like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar and others. We have told them that Operation Sindoor will be discussed first. We will decide which issues will be discussed after that… Operation Sindoor will be debated for 16 hours in Lok Sabha on Monday (July 28) and for 16 hours in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (July 29)…' Asked if PM Narendra Modi will speak in Parliament during the discussion, another key demand of the Opposition, Rijiju said the government cannot decide the speakers of Opposition parties, and vice versa. He expressed hope that the 'Opposition will allow Parliament to function from next week' and lamented the waste of resources and efforts gone into preparing answers for questions to be asked by MPs during Question Hours, which did not take place in first week amid Opposition protests. The Congress, meanwhile, accused the government of hiding behind technical reasons and not clarifying whether there will be a discussion on the SIR or not. 'We didn't raise the Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor issue in the House as we had demanded that PM Narendra Modi should be in the House during that, but he is abroad and it's not possible,' Congress's deputy leader in the LS Gaurav Gogoi said after the meeting with the Speaker. 'We were demanding that the Bihar SIR be discussed in the House, but the government is not clarifying whether this issue will be discussed in the House or not. They are hiding behind technical reasons,' he said. Though the Opposition has been demanding that PM Modi be present in the House during the discussion, there is no final word on whether he would reply to the debate. A BJP leader said the list of BJP speakers for the special discussion in both Houses was being prepared, adding that top ministers were expected to participate. Friday again saw no significant legislative business in both Houses, much like the four days preceding it. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair when the LS met post-lunch at 2 pm, rebuked the protesting Opposition MPs. 'Nobody is benefiting from this ruckus. People have sent you to raise their issues and you are disrupting the House,' he said. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the 'Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024' is a very important proposal concerning STs and should be taken up for discussion. 'It is a very important Bill. Are they (Opposition) against the STs?' Meghwal said. As the Opposition MPs continued their protest, Pal adjourned the House till Monday. In the first half, Speaker Om Birla began the House proceedings with a mention of the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 (Saturday). 'In the Kargil war (1999), our Army faced geographical and climatic challenges and showed its valour… Today, we pay homage to the soldiers who sacrificed everything for the nation,' Birla said, following which the House observed brief silence. When the Opposition began its protest again, the Speaker told them: 'Come to meet me if you want a discussion. In consultation with the government, I will find a way out to discuss issues. This is not the proper way in the largest democracy of the world… Planned obstruction is not good for democracy. In Question Hour, we should uphold the healthy tradition of the House.' As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm. The Rajya Sabha too saw Opposition uproar over SIR in Bihar, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for the day. The Upper House witnessed the first adjournment till noon soon after it convened at 11 am. When the House met at noon for the Question Hour, BJP MP K Laxman sought to know the details of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan from Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. When Chouhan rose to speak, the Opposition MPs raised slogans that the SIR exercise be stopped. Chouhan said he wanted to answer the question, but the Opposition protests continued. BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was in the Chair, requested the protesting MPs to return to their seats. With the Opposition members unrelenting, the House was adjourned for the day. Vikas Pathak is deputy associate editor with The Indian Express and writes on national politics. He has over 17 years of experience, and has worked earlier with The Hindustan Times and The Hindu, among other publications. He has covered the national BJP, some key central ministries and Parliament for years, and has covered the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and many state assembly polls. He has interviewed many Union ministers and Chief Ministers. Vikas has taught as a full-time faculty member at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Symbiosis International University, Pune; Jio Institute, Navi Mumbai; and as a guest professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Vikas has authored a book, Contesting Nationalisms: Hinduism, Secularism and Untouchability in Colonial Punjab (Primus, 2018), which has been widely reviewed by top academic journals and leading newspapers. He did his PhD, M Phil and MA from JNU, New Delhi, was Student of the Year (2005-06) at ACJ and gold medalist from University Rajasthan College in Jaipur in graduation. He has been invited to top academic institutions like JNU, St Stephen's College, Delhi, and IIT Delhi as a guest speaker/panellist. ... Read More

Rajnath Singh to initiate debate on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha on Monday
Rajnath Singh to initiate debate on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha on Monday

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Rajnath Singh to initiate debate on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha on Monday

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh is set to initiate a discussion on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha on Monday while PM Narendra Modi is likely to intervene amid indications that he may use the much-anticipated debate to turn the heat on opposition, which wants to corner the government over alleged intelligence failures and US President Donald Trump's ceasefire claims. The first week of monsoon session of Parliament ended without much business with just one bill passed, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday reiterated that govt was ready to discuss all issues including the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. The day also witnessed a floor leaders' meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after which his secretariat claimed that all parties agreed to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament next week when discussion on Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor will take place in both Houses for 16 hours each. However, a few opposition parties are still firm to continue with protests over SIR exercise, which Election Commission has now announced to carry out nationwide. Sources said Union home minister Amit Shah, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey are expected to take part in the discussion in Lok Sabha. PM Modi is expected to speak in both the Houses. Besides, Rajnath and Jaishankar will be among ministers who will also take part in the discussion in Rajya Sabha. TDP's Lavu Sri Krishnadevaraya and GM Harish Balayogi are expected to take part in discussion on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha. Sources said the party has been allotted 30 minutes. Samajwadi Party, its chief Akhilesh Yadav and MP Rajiv Rai will take part in the debate. Opposition parties have agreed to the agenda of taking up a special discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor on Monday in Lok Sabha and the next day in Rajya Sabha, brightening the prospect of normalcy returning to Parliament after the virtual washout of first-week proceedings. Rijiju blamed opposition for washout of the first week of monsoon session, accusing it of not allowing Parliament to function despite govt agreeing to its demand for a discussion on these issues right from the session's start. Asked about opposition's demand that Parliament discuss the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, he said all issues cannot be taken up at once and govt will take a call on other matters gradually. With the electoral rolls revision exercise being seen in govt circles as Election Commission carrying out its mandate, the possibility of a discussion on the contentious issue is slim, sources said. Opposition has alleged that the drive is aimed at helping BJP-led alliance, which is in power in poll-bound Bihar as well. From the treasury benches, Speakers are likely to include its members who were part of the seven all-party delegations which had travelled to over 30 world capitals to convey India's robust stand against terrorism and Pakistan's role in abetting it.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store